What do you think?
Rate this book
Connecticut Witch Trials: The First Panic in the New World
The little-known story of the first witch hunt in New England—nearly half a century before Salem. Connecticut’s witch hunt was the first and most ferocious in New England, occurring almost fifty years before the infamous Salem witch trials. Between 1647 and 1697, at least thirty-four men and women from across the state were formally charged with witchcraft. Eleven were hanged. In New Haven, William Meeker was accused of cutting off and burning his pig’s ears and tail as he cast a bewitching spell. After the hanging of Fairfield’s Goody Knapp, magistrates cut down and searched her body for the marks of the devil. In this book, through newspaper clippings, court records, letters, and diaries, former New York Times correspondent Cynthia Wolfe Boynton uncovers the dark history of the Connecticut witch trials. Includes illustrations
166 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2014
123 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 26, 2014
Although this book is set up to be factual, it is still wildly entertaining- as was Cynthia's book talk on it (but that's not what I'm supposed to be talking about, oops)
So where do I start? Well, for one thing, if you're into short stories of any type, you will absolutely adore this book. The only concern I had when I started reading this book was that I'd have to drag myself through it, but I was wrong, so so so so terribly wrong. I couldn't put the book down, and sure I may have gotten some strange looks from friends, but who cares? Boynton knows how to pull her readers in and keep them fascinated enough to turn the pages and ask questions to themselves about what will happen to these people. Also, although it's not exactly a written part, I loved the chart in the back, it gives the reader an excellent visual of all the people accused. I highly recommend for anyone who's into A) short stories (which I feel was the formal here) B) people interest in Witch hunts or trials of any sort C) people who are into history in general- this is a must read.
So where do I start? Well, for one thing, if you're into short stories of any type, you will absolutely adore this book. The only concern I had when I started reading this book was that I'd have to drag myself through it, but I was wrong, so so so so terribly wrong. I couldn't put the book down, and sure I may have gotten some strange looks from friends, but who cares? Boynton knows how to pull her readers in and keep them fascinated enough to turn the pages and ask questions to themselves about what will happen to these people. Also, although it's not exactly a written part, I loved the chart in the back, it gives the reader an excellent visual of all the people accused. I highly recommend for anyone who's into A) short stories (which I feel was the formal here) B) people interest in Witch hunts or trials of any sort C) people who are into history in general- this is a must read.
July 13, 2020
Little known about and over shadowed by the Salem Witch trials, were the witch trials of Connecticut. In way they were more severe. Of the 34 accused 11 were executed. Cotton Mathers,the witch finder General had a part to play. Like other books that document what is called the burning times the people who were most likely to be accused were old women that no one got along with. Or maybe these old women had property that people coveted. They also had no one to stand up for them. During those times women were not considered equal to me . They were seen as weak, sinful and easily tempted.
During the burning times a simple accusation was enough to get someone arrested, tortured, tried and then sentenced to death for witchcraft. If accused the witch finders would torture the prisoner until they confessed and they usually were coerced into giving names, alas more victims. The prisoners were stripped naked and examined for a witches teat. The witches familiar could be a toad , or a cat or any such animal. It did the witches bidding.
Like the story of Jonah and the whale, if an old lady was traveling on a ship and the seas became rough they could find themselves being accused of witchcraft. Once the accusation was muttered vigilante action took over. The ships captain did nothing to protect the old women. They merely went back to their cabin.
Groups like the Quakers were marginalized. While still being Christian their belief and practice was different from the standard practice and so hence it was easy for a woman of that faith to be accused of witchcraft.
A governor of the state, who was also an alchemist is the person who put a stop to all this. He demanded more proof and scoffed at superstition. Descendants of the witches have sought pardon and the clearing of the name of their relatives.
During the burning times a simple accusation was enough to get someone arrested, tortured, tried and then sentenced to death for witchcraft. If accused the witch finders would torture the prisoner until they confessed and they usually were coerced into giving names, alas more victims. The prisoners were stripped naked and examined for a witches teat. The witches familiar could be a toad , or a cat or any such animal. It did the witches bidding.
Like the story of Jonah and the whale, if an old lady was traveling on a ship and the seas became rough they could find themselves being accused of witchcraft. Once the accusation was muttered vigilante action took over. The ships captain did nothing to protect the old women. They merely went back to their cabin.
Groups like the Quakers were marginalized. While still being Christian their belief and practice was different from the standard practice and so hence it was easy for a woman of that faith to be accused of witchcraft.
A governor of the state, who was also an alchemist is the person who put a stop to all this. He demanded more proof and scoffed at superstition. Descendants of the witches have sought pardon and the clearing of the name of their relatives.
July 23, 2018
I don't read very many historical books so I'm not quite sure how to go about rating this one. I think Connecticut Witch Trials does a fine job at what it sets out to do: set the record straight to the best of it's ability regarding the existence of witch trials in colonial Connecticut during the 1600s. The issue is that so many documents have not survived over time so we can only make a basic timeline about the people who were accused and either found innocent, or found guilty and then executed.
I think this is a great book for anyone interested the history of New England. As a resident of Connecticut I found this book to be incredibly fascinating, if not also sad and scary.
I wouldn't go into this book expecting fleshed out characters and dramatic retellings. We simply don't know about the intimate aspects of these people's lives. That being said I think it's worth the read if only to dispell some of the myths surrounding witch trials in colonial America.
I think this is a great book for anyone interested the history of New England. As a resident of Connecticut I found this book to be incredibly fascinating, if not also sad and scary.
I wouldn't go into this book expecting fleshed out characters and dramatic retellings. We simply don't know about the intimate aspects of these people's lives. That being said I think it's worth the read if only to dispell some of the myths surrounding witch trials in colonial America.
March 4, 2023
Interesting information, but that information was broken up all throughout the book and written unclearly, and used unneeded exaggerations that made me question the authenticity. It made it feel more like an unpleasant chore to read.
December 29, 2018
This is an informative read about the not as well-known witch trials in Connecticut. The author explains the fear of witches in that time as well as the legal aspects that allowed these accusations to result in trials and deaths.
This reader found some aspects of the book to be troubling. Leviticus 20:27 is misquoted on page 25 which made the reader question aspects that weren't as easy to verify. There is quite a bit of jumping back and forth when discussing specific people which became confusing. Also, there is a section on the mistruths associated with the Connecticut witch trials and the implication that perpetuating mistruths is not a good idea (which the reader agrees with). However, the author includes the entire article concerning the false story of Julius Perry and Juliana Cox.
This reader found some aspects of the book to be troubling. Leviticus 20:27 is misquoted on page 25 which made the reader question aspects that weren't as easy to verify. There is quite a bit of jumping back and forth when discussing specific people which became confusing. Also, there is a section on the mistruths associated with the Connecticut witch trials and the implication that perpetuating mistruths is not a good idea (which the reader agrees with). However, the author includes the entire article concerning the false story of Julius Perry and Juliana Cox.
June 1, 2016
As a lover of history I admit I never knew Connecticut had witch trials. Legends and ghost stories mentioned witches throughout New England but they were mostly just stories except Salem's witch trials. I had a hard time putting this book down and even after finishing I am still amazed at what I learned. Just think 34 people were accused and 11 executed before Salem accused hundreds and executed 19. A really good and eye opening read.
December 18, 2019
Interesting
This is an interesting book. Overall, I thought it was well done. I did disagree with one section however. I don't believe a work of fiction can be rightly considered as spreading misinformation. I read, and loved, The Witch of Blackbird Pond when I was younger. While I was aware it had similarities to reality, I was also well aware it was fiction. Fiction by definition is not reality, thus it cannot spread misinformation about reality.
This is an interesting book. Overall, I thought it was well done. I did disagree with one section however. I don't believe a work of fiction can be rightly considered as spreading misinformation. I read, and loved, The Witch of Blackbird Pond when I was younger. While I was aware it had similarities to reality, I was also well aware it was fiction. Fiction by definition is not reality, thus it cannot spread misinformation about reality.
July 28, 2023
Absolutely shocked I never knew the witch trails actually started in Connecticut decades before the Salem Massachusetts trials
October 3, 2025
A short but thorough look at the history of witch trials in 17th Century Connecticut, which happened before those at Salem.
August 29, 2020
Book did a great job describing the reasons behind these witch trials that preceded and were more deadly than the more famous Salem trials. I was particularly interested in the actual victims of this tragedy but was disappointed that part was pretty weak. Rebecca Greensmith was the ancestor of my grandfather through a daughter from her first husband; and ancestor of my grandmother through a son from her second husband. I was interested to learn more about her but it seems I already know more than the author.
December 17, 2017
I liked this book a lot. I have a lot of Connecticut ancestors and was very interested in finding out about this part of history. It is written with a very easy to read style and provided a great bibliography.
November 10, 2019
An interesting read. The author offers facts to discuss Connecticut laws, life, and actual witch trials in the 1600-1700.
November 20, 2025
I did not know Connecticut had witch trials! Wow. As a major history nerd this was a fun read!
Reading this book comes very easy. The pages are not lacking in historical texts, images, and records of criminal cases and art pertaining to the attitudes of people toward witches in this era. The prose is just fine. There are definitely some moments where it could do with some editing for clarity and impact though; however, it was overall an enriching read for anyone interested in history about early America, witch trials, the Northeast, Connecticut, or just history in general!
What I found most interesting was that the period of time which the Puritans had just arrived to America to carve out the beginnings of civilization was also the time period when Connecticut was holding its witch trials. So this is early Colonial American history and took place 40-50 years prior to the Salem witch trials. Fascinating!
The information about English witch hunter Matthew Hopkins, the methods which he employed to determine if someone were a witch, and the overall beliefs that were held as the clearest indicator of a witch were also incredibly interesting. From identifying birthmarks, moles, and 'teats' on the body to sleep deprivation, cutting flesh, and tying your thumbs to the opposite big toe and tossing you in a lake to see if you sank- those who were accused were sure to suffer in some way. Usually middle aged women who were more mature, seen as unusual or rebellious, had been seen with animals, or weren't married were judged harshly and especially at risk for being labelled a witch.
For each case, I found myself reflecting on the torment and terror that the executed victims must have felt. I wondered if they ever thought in desperation if they would be lost to history, no one to remember what happened to them as they faced angry neighbors who wanted them dead. That is not the case with this book. Each one of the victims is specifically named with their situation written in precise detail with complex context included. They are remembered and they will not be forgotten, and even today people are working to get the record corrected after all these years that they were in fact not witches.
Solid book. It is only lacking in the sense that it could have been more detailed, but maybe that is due to the lack of historical documentation around that time period (Boynton acknowledges this), especially regarding the witch trials themselves. If there was more to discuss, perhaps this book may have been longer. Lastly, John Winthrop Jr was a really cool person to learn about and I appreciated the groundwork that he laid for putting the Connecticut witch trials to rest for the sake of the entire colony.
Side note: Major lol moment when the book Malleus Maleficarum saying that women who overstepped the lines of proper female decorum were likely witches and that witches had the power to
Reading this book comes very easy. The pages are not lacking in historical texts, images, and records of criminal cases and art pertaining to the attitudes of people toward witches in this era. The prose is just fine. There are definitely some moments where it could do with some editing for clarity and impact though; however, it was overall an enriching read for anyone interested in history about early America, witch trials, the Northeast, Connecticut, or just history in general!
What I found most interesting was that the period of time which the Puritans had just arrived to America to carve out the beginnings of civilization was also the time period when Connecticut was holding its witch trials. So this is early Colonial American history and took place 40-50 years prior to the Salem witch trials. Fascinating!
The information about English witch hunter Matthew Hopkins, the methods which he employed to determine if someone were a witch, and the overall beliefs that were held as the clearest indicator of a witch were also incredibly interesting. From identifying birthmarks, moles, and 'teats' on the body to sleep deprivation, cutting flesh, and tying your thumbs to the opposite big toe and tossing you in a lake to see if you sank- those who were accused were sure to suffer in some way. Usually middle aged women who were more mature, seen as unusual or rebellious, had been seen with animals, or weren't married were judged harshly and especially at risk for being labelled a witch.
For each case, I found myself reflecting on the torment and terror that the executed victims must have felt. I wondered if they ever thought in desperation if they would be lost to history, no one to remember what happened to them as they faced angry neighbors who wanted them dead. That is not the case with this book. Each one of the victims is specifically named with their situation written in precise detail with complex context included. They are remembered and they will not be forgotten, and even today people are working to get the record corrected after all these years that they were in fact not witches.
Solid book. It is only lacking in the sense that it could have been more detailed, but maybe that is due to the lack of historical documentation around that time period (Boynton acknowledges this), especially regarding the witch trials themselves. If there was more to discuss, perhaps this book may have been longer. Lastly, John Winthrop Jr was a really cool person to learn about and I appreciated the groundwork that he laid for putting the Connecticut witch trials to rest for the sake of the entire colony.
Side note: Major lol moment when the book Malleus Maleficarum saying that women who overstepped the lines of proper female decorum were likely witches and that witches had the power to
November 10, 2023
I have a couple of books with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder about Connecticut's witch trials being unfairly overshadowed by Salem. Granted, it's hard to look away from Salem, but part of the reason for this, as I think Cynthia Wolfe Boynton had to grapple with in writing this book, is that we know so much more about Salem's witches than we do about Connecticut's witches, and there are, of course, more of them. So this is a very skinny book and it's clearly taking up room with whatever it can, including Durer engravings and illustrations from nineteenth century works about, ironically, Salem. It needed a better copy-editor (someone who would catch the use of "ancestors" when what was meant was "descendants" and, my favorite typo, The Witch of Blackboard Pond). The prose is good, but the book is not very well organized, which I think again has something to do with the skimpiness of the material. Not all of its sources are reliable---or even worth quoting (the imaginative description of an imaginary witchcraft trial from Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly in 1881 that makes the glaring error of having the female suspect searched for witch's teats by MEN, like, why is this even HERE?).
Two and a half stars, round up to three.
Two and a half stars, round up to three.
July 14, 2025
Salem gets all the credit, but Connecticut was there first.
Actually, the witch craze started in England and came to the New World with the Great Migration. When it finally took hold, in the 1640s, it led to several needless deaths in Connecticut. The author does an excellent job of distilling down the great bulk of existing information as well as plugging the gaps where no information exists to tell us the real story of witch hunting in early New England.
I particularly appreciated the examination of John Winthrop, Jr., as a voice of reason in an unreasonable time, a man willing to stand up against the conventional thinking of the day and place science over mysticism for the sake of defending women (and some men) who were otherwise fast-tracked for the gallows.
Well-illustrated and with a timeline and chart of people accused of witchcraft, the book is a good reference guide on the subject, as obscure and pointed as it may be!
Actually, the witch craze started in England and came to the New World with the Great Migration. When it finally took hold, in the 1640s, it led to several needless deaths in Connecticut. The author does an excellent job of distilling down the great bulk of existing information as well as plugging the gaps where no information exists to tell us the real story of witch hunting in early New England.
I particularly appreciated the examination of John Winthrop, Jr., as a voice of reason in an unreasonable time, a man willing to stand up against the conventional thinking of the day and place science over mysticism for the sake of defending women (and some men) who were otherwise fast-tracked for the gallows.
Well-illustrated and with a timeline and chart of people accused of witchcraft, the book is a good reference guide on the subject, as obscure and pointed as it may be!
February 9, 2022
This is a horrible part of our history but the author was able to show how much different the CT trials were compared to Salem. It’s frustrating to know many records are lost and there is so much misinformation out there but she was able to show her work academically and discuss much misinformation. As a descendant of one of the women executed, it gave me a view of the fear people had back then when accused. Like many historical books, we are not taught about this in school and have to learn as an adult.
August 1, 2021
It's odd to learn that such a significant early event in our country's history involved one of my very own 10th great grandmothers ~ and that she went through such a horrible experience/death.
I was glad to have found this book & to have visited Windsor, CT ~ there is so much more to learn.
This book was a great reference & edu. piece that I'm sure my other thousands of 10th distant cousins are now also reading. :)
Ah, the age of DNA and ancestry ~ fascinating stuff.
I was glad to have found this book & to have visited Windsor, CT ~ there is so much more to learn.
This book was a great reference & edu. piece that I'm sure my other thousands of 10th distant cousins are now also reading. :)
Ah, the age of DNA and ancestry ~ fascinating stuff.
January 14, 2025
Before the witch trials in Salem, there were the witch trials of Connecticut.
Between 1647 and 1697, more than 30 women and men across the state were charged with witchcraft.
Much of the history of the Connecticut Witch Trials has been lost, but what has been found is contained in this book. It is short but informative and does its job of sharing the little-known history of Connecticut's witch trials.
Between 1647 and 1697, more than 30 women and men across the state were charged with witchcraft.
Much of the history of the Connecticut Witch Trials has been lost, but what has been found is contained in this book. It is short but informative and does its job of sharing the little-known history of Connecticut's witch trials.
October 28, 2022
Painted a picture of the Connecticut Witch Trials even though there are not a lot of first hand accounts or court records. I love how they traced back the panic to what was going on in England at the time. Overall very informative.
September 3, 2023
History
What a wonderful tale of history rarely to never taught. Connecticut witch panic is an amazing historical event that should be reading offered to all, perhaps with a slight push.
What a wonderful tale of history rarely to never taught. Connecticut witch panic is an amazing historical event that should be reading offered to all, perhaps with a slight push.
May 14, 2018
A short but thorough introduction to the lesser-known Connecticut witch trials. There were lots of references to other resources as well for those interested in reading more about the trials.
July 25, 2021
I never knew there were witch trials in Connecticut and this book was fascinating to me. It gave a good account of many trials even with lack of historical information.
June 15, 2023
Concise introduction to switch trials in the "New World"
October 20, 2024
Interesting book about the CT witch trials.
October 5, 2025
I had no idea....Connecticut Witch Trials existed. Fascinating.
December 19, 2017
Tincture of cultural competence
This is a clearly written and well researched look at the panic surrounding the perceptions of an attack upon our ancestors by the Devil. I appreciated that the compilation of known facts are presented here without the judgement or bias of present day attitudes. The reader is thus provided with a clear understanding of what happened where to whom in a way that allows a visit to these troubled times without dishonoring the reputations of the real people involved in the historical crisis. What is known is offered along with what is not currently known. The accusers and the accused are treated respectfully within the context of their times. This book is a useful resource.
This is a clearly written and well researched look at the panic surrounding the perceptions of an attack upon our ancestors by the Devil. I appreciated that the compilation of known facts are presented here without the judgement or bias of present day attitudes. The reader is thus provided with a clear understanding of what happened where to whom in a way that allows a visit to these troubled times without dishonoring the reputations of the real people involved in the historical crisis. What is known is offered along with what is not currently known. The accusers and the accused are treated respectfully within the context of their times. This book is a useful resource.
February 17, 2016
Expensive for the number of pages. Also a bit outdated.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews